Roll feed mechanism

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure relates to feed mechanisms for stamping presses and similar machines and specifically to an improved roll feed mechanism with a feed stock clamp designed for a fixed feeding increment. The present invention relates to a novel cam roll mechanism with a feed stock clamp to provide incremental feeding of stock to a punch press or the like.

United States Patent [191 Homstead Feb.'12, 1974 1 ROLL FEED MECHANISM [76] Inventor: Robert Homstead, 5 Quaker Ln., 'f Examlf'eraRlchard Schacher Greenville 02820 Assistant Exammer-Gene A. Church Attorney, Agent, or Firm-William Frederick Werner [22] Filed: May 3, 1973 21 Appl. N01; 356,761 [57] ABSTRACT The present disclosure relates to feed mechanisms for v stamping presses and similar machines and specifically g 226/140? 226/ g i i gz .to an improved roll feed mechanism with a feed stock 58] Fie'ld 40 153 179 clamp designed for a fixed feeding increment.

, The present invention relates to a novel cam 'roll 56 References Cited mechanism with a feed stock clamp to provide UNITED STATES PATENTS incremental feeding of stock to a punch press or the l 'k 3,653,569 4/1972 Homsteadet a1 226/140 h 6 3,058,641 10/1962 226/140 Peterson 41 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures i IO I PATE-NTED FEB I 2 I974 SHEET 6 0F 7 l ROLL FEED MECHANISM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Stock is usually fed to a stamping press or similar machine by a pair of rollers geared to each other with the bottom roller being driven intermittently. An indexing mechanism is mounted at the end of the shaft of the bottom roller and driven by an arm eccentrically mounted on the fly wheel of the press. The indexing mechanism drive is adjustable for the length of the feed for each job. Recent developments in press manufacture have produced presses which operate in the range of 2,000 or more revolutions per minute.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,058,641 was designed to eliminate the indexing and eccentric drive mechanism of prior feed mechanisms and to substitute a roller feed mechanism designed for a particular job and in association with a particular die.

' The deficiencies of prior art devices are that the feed stock was not provided with a mechanism to check and intermittently hold the feed stock from forward or feed direction momentum and the feed stock was always under a constant drag imposed by the feed mechanism.

The present invention overcomes these and other deficiencies known to the prior art.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION An object of thepresent invention is to provide a high speed, accuratefeed mechanism.

Another object of the present invention is to provide two cam feed rollers rotated at a relative contstant high speed with the cam surfaces intermittently gripping the feed stock and a feed stock clamp synchronized with the cam surfaces to intermittently grip the feed stock.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a dual cam roll feed mechanism which eliminates many moving parts including the need for drag and/or braking mechanisms.

Other objects of the present invention'will become apparent in part and be pointed out in part in the following specificationand claims.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts in the following-drawings'in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the new and improved roll feed mechanism;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of FIG. 1;

' FIG. 3 is a left side elevational view of FIG. 1;v FIG. 4 is a right side elevational view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on line 6-'-6 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on line 77 of FIG. '1;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view, with the top plate broken away to show the two cam rolls and the top friction plate and the bottom friction plate;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged section, of one end of the section taken on line 6 -6, showing relative cam adjustment.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on line 10-10 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic view of the two cam rolls shown at the beginning of the feed stock cycle for maximum feed lenght FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic view of the two cam rolls showing the bottom rotary cam feed roll in adjusted position in relation to the top rotary cam feed roll for a lesser feed length;

FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic view of the two cam rolls showing the bottom rotary cam feed roll in adjusted position in relation to the top rotary cam feed roll for a minimum feed length;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary view showig the spring pressure adjustment upon the upper friction plate.

Referring to the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally indicates the new and improved roll feed mechanism, consisting of a base 11, a left side 12, a right side 13 and a top plate 14, fastened together to form the frame for the machine.

A top rotary cam feed roll, generally indicated by reference numeral 15, consists of a cam body 16, having a left side collar 17, a right side collar 18, a left side shaft 19 and a right side shaft 20. Cam body 16 comprises a concentric large surface 21 and a-concentric small surface 22 which provide intermediate edges 23, 24 (see FIGS. 7, 11, 12, and 13.).

v, Similarly, a bottom rotary cam feed roll, generally indicated by reference numeral 25, consists of a cam body 26 having a left side collar 27, a right side collar 28, a left side bearing 29 and a right side bearing 30. Cam body 26 comprises a concentric large surface 31 and a concentric small surface 32 which provide intermediate edges 33, 34. Cam body 26 is cored to provide a shaft receiving opening 35, (see FIGS. 6 and 7).

Left side 12 is provided with an opening or clearance orifice 37 to permit left side shaft'19 to pass therethrough.,(see FIG. 6).

A bottom rotary cam feed roll shaft 40 located within shaft receiving opening 35 is rotatively mounted in left side 12 through bearing 41. With reference to FIGS. 1, 3, 5 and especially 6. A hollo'w housing 45 is fastened to top plate 14. A pulley 46 having a pulley shaft 47 is rotatively mounted in housing 45. A drive pulley gear 48 is fastened to an end of pulley shaft 47. A drive shaft 50 is rotatively supported on one end in a bearing 51 in base 11. The other end of drive shaft 50 is rotatively supported in housing 45. Top plate 14 is provided with a clearance orifice 52. to accommodate-drive shaft 50. an upper drive shaft gear 53 and a lower drive shaft gear 54 are fastened, respectively, to opposite ends of drive shaft 50. Upper dive shaft gear 53 meshes with drive pulley gear 48. A drive take-off gear 55 is slid-- cam feed gear 61 is fastened to shaft 40 and meshes with lower drive shaft gear 54.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. A lower friction plate 64 is integrally provided with a leftside bracket 65 fastened to left side 12 as by means of screws 66 and a right side bracket 67 fastened to right side 13 as by means of screws 68. The top surface of friction plate 64 serves as a lower jaw 69. An upper friction plate 70 is integrally provided with a left side lever 71, and right side lever 72.

A shaft is fastened on opposite ends in left side 12 and right side 13. Left side 71 and right side 72 of upper fiction plate 70 are pivotally mounted upon shaft 80. Left side shaft 19 is rotatively supported in left side 71. Right side shaft is,rotatively supported in right side 72. (With reference to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8). Pivotal movement of upper friction plate 70 upon shaft 80, raises and lowers top rotary cam feed roll 15 toward and away from bottom rotary cam feed roll 25. Clearance orifice 37 permits left side shaft 19 the necessary movement. Drive take-off gear is yieldingly held in engagement with top rotary cam feed gear by means of coil spring 58 so that drive take-off gear 55, through key 56 and keyway 57, .is slidably mounted for up and down movement upon drive shaft 50 when top rotary cam feed gear 60 is moved up and down.

(With reference to FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and especially 7); An upper jaw 73 is resiliently connected to upper fric tion plate by means of screws 74 which have en larged heads and are rotatively fastened to upper jaw 73. Upper friction plate 70 is provided with a clearance orifice 75 to accommodate screw 74. Coil springs 76 are interposed between upper friction plate 70 and upper jaw 73.

A stock guide roller provided with two guide collars 86, 87 adjustable mounted thereon by means of screws 88, is rotatively mounted in left side bracket 65 and right side bracket 67 by means of shaft 90.

Two screws 92 provided with shanks 93 which provide shoulders 94 are rotatively mounted in top plate 14. coil springs 95 are interposed between shoulders 94 and leftside 71 and right side 72, respectively. In this manner, top rotary cam feed roll 15 is yieldingly held in engagement with bottom rotary cam feed roll 25 (see FIG. 7).

Reference is now made to FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10. A bracket, generally indicated by reference numeral 97, comprises a base plate 98 provided with a keyway 99 and a vertical wall 100 integrally connected with base plate 98. Base plate 98 is provided with two parallel slots 101, 102 and is slidably mounted upon base 11 by means of a key 103 located in a slot 104 provided in base 11 and in keyway 99. screws 105,106 provided with enlarged heads pass through parallel slots 101, 102 respectively, and are fastened in base 11. In this manner, bracket 97 is fastened in selected position in relationto rightside 13. 4

An indexing screw, generally indicated by reference numeral is provided with a shank 109 having two flanges 111, 112 on one end and threads 113 on the end adjacent a head 114. Indexing screw 110 is rotatively mounted, with threads 113 engaging mating threads in vertical wall 100 and with shank freely rotatable in right side 13. Flanges 111, 112 are positioned on opposite sides of right side 13 so that rotation of indexing screw 110 slidably moves bracket 97 toward and away from right side 13.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10,

11, 12, and 13 wherein the bottom rotary cam 26 adjustment mechanism is shown. A shell body is provided with a chamber 121 a neck 122 and a collar 123 provided with wrench openings 124. Neck 122is rotatively mounted invertical wall 100 to move when said wall 100 moves. A bushing 125 provided axially with hexangle screw threads 126 is fastened in chamber 120.

Right side bearing 30 is provided with an extension 127 having two parallel grooves 130, 131. Extension 127 extends into opening 132 in bushing 125. Bushing 125 is provided with two tongues 133, 134. Grooves 130, 131 engage tongues 133, 134, respectively, (see FIGS. 9 and 10) to prove a tongue and groove drive connection. Shaft 40 is provided with a hexangle thread 128 which meshes with hexangle thread 126.

Rotation of indexing screw 110 moves bracket 97 in a manner to cause hexangle thread 126 to move onto and off of threads 128 to rotate shaft 40 so that bottom rotary cam feed roll 25 adjustably rotates in relation to top rotary cam feed roll 15.

In this manner, indexing screw 110 provides adjustment for the feed stock from maximum feed length to minimum feed length, whether cam feedrolls 15, 25 are stationary or in operating (rotating) condition. This feature, a specific object of the invention, is deemed to be an advancement in the art.

In operation pulley 46 is rotated, as by a belt connection to a motor, not shown. Pulley shaft 47 will rotate drive pulley gear 48 in mesh with upper drive shaft gear 53 attached to-drive shaft 50 which rotates drive takeoff gear 55 and lower drive shaft gear 54. Drive take-off gear 55 will rotate top rotary cam feed gear 60 and top rotary cam feed roll 15. Lower'drive shaft gear 54 will rotate bottom rotary cam feed gear 61, shaft 40 and bottom rotary cam feed roll 26. Refer to FIG. 7, wherein feed stock A is passed between upper jaw 73 and lower friction plate 64 to a position between top rotary cam feed roll 15 and bottom rotary cam feed roll 25 where friction of rolls 15, 25 upon the feed stock A draws the feed stock A in the direction of the arrows. With reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 7, guide collars 86, 87 and stock guide roll 85 will guide and align the feed stock A to the proper position between rolls 15 and 25. The friction upon feed stock A is provided by the weight of top rotarycam feed roll 15, upper friction plate 70 with left side 71 and right side 72 and upper jaw 73, all pivoting aroung shaft 80. In addition coil springs 95 through screws 92 yieldingly urge left side 71 and right side 72, which rotatably support top rotary cam feed roll 15, downwardly, to thereby provide pressure upon roll 15, against bottom rotary cam feed roll 25, with the feed stock A therebetween. The feed stock passes to a punch press or the like, now shown. Having shown and described a preferred embodiment of the present invention by way of example, it should be realized that structural changes could be made and other examples given without departing from either the spirit or scope of this invention.

What I claim is:

1. A roll feed mechanism comprising a frame having a base, a left side and right side fastened to said base, and ta top platefastened to said left side and right side, a lower friction plate having a lower jaw, fastened, respectively, to said leftside and to said right side, an upper fiction plate having a left side lever and a right side lever, a shaft fastened, respectively, in said left side and said right side, said left side lever and said right side lever, pivotally mounted upon said shaft, an upper jaw, spring means resiliently connecting said upper jaw to said upper friction plate in alignment with said lower friction plate, a top rotary cam feed roll having a cam body, a left side collar, a right sidecollar, a left side shaft, a right side shaft, a concentric large surface, a concentric small surface with two. intermediate edges between said large surface and said small surface, said left side shaft passing through a clearance orifice in said left side, a top rotary cam feed gear fastened to said left side shaft-a bottom rotary cam feed roll shaft rotatably supported in said left side on one end and provided with an hexangular thread on the'opposite end, a bottom rotary cam feed gear fastened to one end of said bottom rotary cam feed roll shaft, a bottom rotary cam feed roll having a left side collar, a right side collar, a left side bearing, a right side bearing having an extension, a cam body comprising a concentric large surface a concentric small surface with two intermediate edges between said large surface and said small surface, means fastening said bottom rotary cam feed roll to said bottom rotary cam feed roll shaft, said right side bearing rotatably mounted in said right side, a drive shaft provided with a lower drive shaft gear in mesh with said bottom rotary cam feed gear, and a drive take-off gear, rotatably supported in said top plate and said base, means slidably supporting said drive take-off gear on said drive shaft, said drive take-off gear in mesh with said top rotary cam feed gear, and means rotating said drive shaft.

2. A claim in accordance with claim 1 wherein, two screws, each provided with a shank and a shoulder are rotatably mounted'in said top plate, two coil springs,

- one for each shank located, respectively, between said rotary cam feed roll.

4. A claim in accordance with claim 1, wherein, a bracket is provided having a base plate, provided with a keyway, two elongatedslots and a vertical wall, said base provided with a slot, a. key located in said keyway and slot to slidably mount said bracket to said base, two screws, one for each elongated slot, passing through the respective slot, and means rotatably'securing said two screws in said base, an indexing screw provided with a shank having two flanges on one end and threads adjacent a head on the other end, said threads rotatively engaging threads in said vertical wall, with said shank freely rotatably mounted in said right side, said two flanges positioned on opposite sides of said right side, whereby, rotation of said indexing screw slidably moves said bracket toward and away from said right side, a shell body provided with a chamber, a neck and a collar, said neck rotatably mounted in said vertical wall to move with said vertical wall, a bushing provided axially with a hexangle screw thread, an opening and two tongues, said bushing fastened in said chamber, said e'xtension having two parallel grooves, and extending into said opening with said grooves engaging said two tongues, to provide a drive connection, said hexangle threads on said bottom rotary cam feed roll shaft mating with the hexangle threads in said bushing to rotatably adjust the position of said bottom rotary cam feed roll in relation to said top rotary cam feed roll through the rotation of said indexing screw.

i l l 

1. A roll feed mechanism comprising a frame having a base, a left side and right side fastened to said base, and ta top plate fastened to said left side and right side, a lower friction plate having a lower jaw, fastened, respectively, to said left side and to said right side, an upper fiction plate having a left side lever and a right side lever, a shaft fastened, respectively, in said left side and said right side, said left side lever and said right side lever, pivotally mounted upon said shaft, an upper jaw, spring means resiliently connecting said upper jaw to said upper friction plate in alignment with said lower friction plate, a top rotary cam feed roll having a cam body, a left side collar, a right side collar, a left side shaft, a right side shaft, a concentric large surface, a concentric small surface with two intermediate edges between said large surface and said small surface, said left side shaft passing through a clearance orifice in said left side, a top rotary cam feed gear fastened to said left side shaft a bottom rotary cam feed roll shaft rotatably supported in said left side on one end and provided with an hexangular thread on the opposite end, a bottom rotary cam feed gear fastened to one end of said bottom rotary cam feed roll shaft, a bottom rotary cam feed roll having a left side collar, a right side collar, a left side bearing, a right side bearing having an extension, a cam body comprising a concentric large surface a concentric small surface with two intermediate edges between said large surface and said small surface, means fastening said bottom rotary cam feed roll to said bottom rotary cam feed roll shaft, said right side bearing rotatably mounted in said right side, a drive shaft provided with a lower drive shaft gear in mesh with said bottom rotary cam feed gear, and a drive take-off gear, rotatably supported in said top plate and said base, means slidably supporting said drive take-off gear on said drive shaft, said drive take-off gear in mesh with said top rotary cam feed gear, and means rotating said drive shaft.
 2. A claim in accordance with claim 1 wherein, two screws, each provided with a shank and a shoulder are rotatably mounted in said top plate, two coil springs, one for each shank located, respectively, between said left side lever and a shoulder, and between said right side lever and a shoulder, to yieldingly and adjustably apply pressure to said top rotary cam feed roll.
 3. A claim in accordance with claim 1, wherein, a stock guide roll is provided with two guide collars adjustably mounted thereon, and means mounting said stock guide roll in said lower friction plate for alignment with said top rotary cam feed roll and said bottom rotary cam feed roll.
 4. A claim in accordance with claim 1, wherein, a bracket is provided having a base plate, provided with a keyway, two elongated slots and a vertical wall, said base provided with A slot, a key located in said keyway and slot to slidably mount said bracket to said base, two screws, one for each elongated slot, passing through the respective slot, and means rotatably securing said two screws in said base, an indexing screw provided with a shank having two flanges on one end and threads adjacent a head on the other end, said threads rotatively engaging threads in said vertical wall, with said shank freely rotatably mounted in said right side, said two flanges positioned on opposite sides of said right side, whereby, rotation of said indexing screw slidably moves said bracket toward and away from said right side, a shell body provided with a chamber, a neck and a collar, said neck rotatably mounted in said vertical wall to move with said vertical wall, a bushing provided axially with a hexangle screw thread, an opening and two tongues, said bushing fastened in said chamber, said extension having two parallel grooves, and extending into said opening with said grooves engaging said two tongues, to provide a drive connection, said hexangle threads on said bottom rotary cam feed roll shaft mating with the hexangle threads in said bushing to rotatably adjust the position of said bottom rotary cam feed roll in relation to said top rotary cam feed roll through the rotation of said indexing screw. 